Rolls-Royce has chosen Australian engineering company Marand as their preferred industry partner for the MT30 gas turbine enclosure manufacture and integration, should the BAE Systems Global Combat Ship-Australia (GCS-A) be selected for the SEA 5000 Future Frigate programme.

The specialised integrated gas turbine enclosure is a highly complex engineering solution that provides the mechanical support, noise suppression, controls, air intake, exhaust outlet, ventilation and auxiliary supplies necessary to ensure optimal performance for the world’s most modern and power-dense marine gas turbine.

BAE Systems is one of the contenders for the SEA 5000 program, offering the Global Combat Ship – Australia, a local variant of its Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, being built at BAE Systems in Glasgow, for the UK Royal Navy. Rolls-Royce is providing a wide range of mission critical products to the Type 26, including the MT30 gas turbine, MTU Diesel Generators, Mission Bay Handling System, Propellers, Steering Gear and Stabilisers and refuelling at sea equipment.

Rob Madders , the general manager of Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Australia & New Zealand, said selecting Marand as industry partner for the project was in line with his company’s strategies to secure a local supply chain in Australia.

“It fulfils an important milestone in our ambitious Australian Industry Capability strategy by securing a local supply chain for both the manufacture and sustainment of the enclosure including the transfer of highly specialised engineering skills and knowledge,” he said.

“As the latest member of our Global Supply Chain, Marand becomes an integral part of our rapidly growing MT30 market providing future export opportunities on world-wide naval programs. The MT30’s clear advantages have made it the turbine of choice for the latest Allied warships, including the US Navy’s Zumwalt class and Freedom Class Littoral Combat Ship, Italy’s Landing Helicopter Dock and South Korea’s Daegu Class Frigates, as well as the UK’s Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers and Type 26 Frigate. The MT30 will continue to replace aging turbine designs and we fully expect to add to the MT30’s family of warships in the very near future.

“The MT30’s clear advantages have made it the turbine of choice for the latest Allied warships,” Rob Madders, general manager, Rolls-Royce Naval Marine Australia & New Zealand, said.

Marand‘s CEO, Rohan Stocker, said his company was selected by Rolls-Royce following a thorough evaluation and selection process.

“The significant evaluation process and ultimate selection is a reflection of our engineering and manufacturing capabilities that have proven performance working in global supply chains,” he said.

Rolls-Royce is planning to include more Australian industry partners for their continuous ship building and defence strategies.

“Now we have Marand on board, we’re expecting to confirm other Australian industry partners to join our Global Supply Chain. If the BAE Systems GCS-A is selected, every product we supply will incorporate optimal Australian manufacture and assembly,” Madders said.

The company will be announcing further preferred industry partners for the manufacture and delivery of its products in the coming weeks. These will include propellers, the ship-to-ship refuelling at sea equipment, the Mission Bay Handling System, steering gear and stabilisation systems.

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